This rule will become effective April 27, 2015 without further action unless the Agency receives significant written adverse comments or written notices of intent to submit adverse comments on or before March 26, 2015. If the Agency receives significant adverse comments or notices, the Agency will publish a timely notice in the Federal Register withdrawing those provisions on which adverse comment were received.

Rural Development (RD) is amending its regulations by updating references to the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and clarifying and updating references to the census data. These actions will provide consistency in terminology between program regulations. In addition, clarifying and updating references to census data is needed to account for changes to the decennial Census, which, starting with the 2010 decennial Census is no longer reporting income and unemployment data. Additional revisions are being implemented to show the regulations that do not apply to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and to remove outdated or unnecessary language.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (Agency) is publishing this final rule for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). This final rule modifies REAP based on comments received on the interim rule, which was published on April 14, 2011, and the proposed rule, which was published on April 12, 2013. The final rule establishes provisions for the grants and loan guarantees available for renewable energy systems (RES) and energy efficiency improvements (EEI) and for the grants available for energy audits and for renewable energy development assistance.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, Commodity Credit Corporation, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service, Rural Housing Service, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Farm Service Agency, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Office of Management and Budget

Interim final rule.

Effective date: This interim final rule is effective on December 26, 2014. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of December 26, 2014. Implementation dates: For grants authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, this rule is applicable for emergency or major disaster declarations issued on or after December 26, 2014. For non-Federal entities that are nonprofit organizations or institutions of higher education (IHEs), there is a one-year grace period for implementation of the procurement standards in 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.326. As will be detailed in the 2015 OMB Compliance Supplement, non-Federal entities choosing to delay implementation for the procurement standards will need to specify in their documented policies and procedures that they continue to comply with OMB circular A-110 for one additional fiscal year which begins after December 26, 2014. Comment date: To be assured of consideration, comments must be received by OMB electronically through www.regulations.gov no later than midnight Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T.) on February 17, 2015.

2 CFR Parts 1, 25, 170, 180, and 200

Summary

This joint interim final rule implements for all Federal award-making agencies the final guidance Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on December 26, 2013. This rule is necessary in order to incorporate into regulation and thus bring into effect the Uniform Guidance as required by OMB. Implementation of this guidance will reduce administrative burden and risk of waste, fraud, and abuse for the approximately $600 billion per year awarded in Federal financial assistance. The result will be more Federal dollars reprogrammed to support the mission, new entities able to compete and win awards, and ultimately a stronger framework to provide key services to American citizens and support the basic research that underpins the United States economy.

This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part.

This rule will become effective April 27, 2015 without further action unless the Agency receives significant written adverse comments or written notices of intent to submit adverse comments on or before March 26, 2015. If the Agency receives significant adverse comments or notices, the Agency will publish a timely notice in the Federal Register withdrawing those provisions on which adverse comment were received.

Rural Development (RD) is amending its regulations by updating references to the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and clarifying and updating references to the census data. These actions will provide consistency in terminology between program regulations. In addition, clarifying and updating references to census data is needed to account for changes to the decennial Census, which, starting with the 2010 decennial Census is no longer reporting income and unemployment data. Additional revisions are being implemented to show the regulations that do not apply to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and to remove outdated or unnecessary language.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (Agency) is publishing this final rule for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). This final rule modifies REAP based on comments received on the interim rule, which was published on April 14, 2011, and the proposed rule, which was published on April 12, 2013. The final rule establishes provisions for the grants and loan guarantees available for renewable energy systems (RES) and energy efficiency improvements (EEI) and for the grants available for energy audits and for renewable energy development assistance.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, Commodity Credit Corporation, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service, Rural Housing Service, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Farm Service Agency, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Office of Management and Budget

Interim final rule.

Effective date: This interim final rule is effective on December 26, 2014. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of December 26, 2014. Implementation dates: For grants authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, this rule is applicable for emergency or major disaster declarations issued on or after December 26, 2014. For non-Federal entities that are nonprofit organizations or institutions of higher education (IHEs), there is a one-year grace period for implementation of the procurement standards in 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.326. As will be detailed in the 2015 OMB Compliance Supplement, non-Federal entities choosing to delay implementation for the procurement standards will need to specify in their documented policies and procedures that they continue to comply with OMB circular A-110 for one additional fiscal year which begins after December 26, 2014. Comment date: To be assured of consideration, comments must be received by OMB electronically through www.regulations.gov no later than midnight Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T.) on February 17, 2015.

2 CFR Parts 1, 25, 170, 180, and 200

Summary

This joint interim final rule implements for all Federal award-making agencies the final guidance Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on December 26, 2013. This rule is necessary in order to incorporate into regulation and thus bring into effect the Uniform Guidance as required by OMB. Implementation of this guidance will reduce administrative burden and risk of waste, fraud, and abuse for the approximately $600 billion per year awarded in Federal financial assistance. The result will be more Federal dollars reprogrammed to support the mission, new entities able to compete and win awards, and ultimately a stronger framework to provide key services to American citizens and support the basic research that underpins the United States economy.

Through this action, the Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Utilities Service, and Farm Service Agency is extending the comment period for the proposed rule, “Environmental Policies and Procedures” by 30 days from April 7, 2014 to May 7, 2014.

Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before April 7, 2014. Comments on the reporting and recordkeeping aspects of this rule in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 continue through April 7, 2014.

Rural Development, a mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture comprised of the Rural Housing Service (RHS), Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), hereafter referred to as the Agency, is proposing to unify and update environmental policies and procedures covering all Agency programs by consolidating two existing Agency regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other applicable environmental requirements. These rules supplement the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), associated environmental statutes, Executive orders and Departmental Regulations. The majority of the proposed changes relate to the categorical exclusion provisions in the Agency's procedures for implementing NEPA. These proposed changes are intended to better align the Agency's regulations, particularly for those actions listed as categorical exclusions, to the Agency's current activities and recent experiences and to the CEQ's Memorandum for Heads of Federal Departments and Agencies entitled “Establishing, Applying, and Revising Categorical Exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act” issued on November 23, 2010, and to consolidate the provisions of the Agency's two current NEPA rules at 7 CFR parts 1794 and 1940, subpart G.